That's The Game
by ficdirectory
Summary: JJ, Emily & a reluctant Garcia join the FBI softball team.  Prompt fill for the CMPromptMeme.


It took some doing, but eventually, JJ and Emily convinced Garcia to do it.

"Garcia, come on. Everybody else on the team is joining. It'll be a good way to blow off steam...and we can spend more time together..." JJ bribed when Garcia looked unconvinced.

"Yes, but everyone else has a modicum of athletic talent. You two for example."

"I played _soccer_," JJ said, raising her hands defensively "That's not softball."

"_That's_ a sport," Garcia countered.

"_I _played _nothing_," Emily put in.

"_That's_ my girl," Garcia smiled, appearing momentarily relieved.

They walked on the field arm in arm, with Garcia between Emily and JJ, to be sure she didn't attempt a last minute escape. It was hard for her not to be at least a little intimidated seeing all the ladies in Flyers jerseys.

"Hey. What are you guys doing here? ...Oh my God..."

It took Emily a moment to realize that not everyone in their line of work knew what had transpired last March. Certainly, the last time Ashley Seaver checked, Emily had been declared dead by a tearful JJ. Ashley had no reason to assume otherwise.

"Come on! Stop the chit-chat and let's go!" snapped another voice, cutting the reunion short.

JJ found herself doing a double-take at the compact brunette in the red hat and jersey.

"Elle?" she gasped.

"Yeah?" A pause. "Well? Did we come to chat all day or kick some ass?"

JJ stared, slack-jawed, as Elle strode confidently out to the pitcher's mound.

"I'll explain later. It's good to see you..." Emily told Ashley and then continued onto the field.

Garcia was appropriately terrified when they spread out across the grass and dirt and another team, in yellow shirts was up to bat first. She had been grateful when she was placed in right field. JJ assured her that almost no balls came there, and pretty much all she would have to do, was stand there and wait until she saw the rest of them running in.

"Just do what we do," JJ said.

"This is like _A League of Their Own_... except they could actually _play_ and we aren't wearing skirts..." she mused aloud. Emily, on first base, turned and laughed.

Elle struck out batters like they posed no challenge whatsoever to her.

Things picked up once the Flyers got their turn at bat. Jordan Todd, who had been JJ's replacement when she was on maternity leave, started them off with a solid hit and got on first. Then Elle was up, and she smashed the ball over the fence and sent both Jordan and herself across home plate.

Just like that, they were ahead by two, and Garcia was whooping from the sidelines. When it was Garcia's turn, however, she froze. She tried to remember what Em and JJ taught her about stance and how to hold the bat. But by the time she remembered that, the ball was whizzing past her.

"Swing the bat, Garcia!" Emily yelled. "It's always better to go down swinging!"

"Feet shoulder width apart," JJ coached from somewhere behind her. "Choke up on the bat, and if that ball comes anywhere between your shoulders and knees, swing! Understand?"

"Okay," Garcia nodded, adjusting the clunky helmet on her head. When the ball came toward her, this time, Garcia swung. It was totally awkward, and it missed, but if it was better to go down swinging, then damn it, Garcia was going to swing.

"That one wasn't yours, Garcia. It's okay!" Emily reassured. "You'll get the next one."

Garcia grimaced. Clearly, her friends had too much confidence in her.

There was no miracle the first time Garcia was at bat, or any of the rest. The Flyers lost 11-2, and that sent Elle into a tizzy, swearing, and promising sweet revenge.

Garcia's favorite part was when each team stood in a line and slapped hands, telling each other "good game." It was nice. Even if she was positive Elle was lying through her teeth.

Afterward, Garcia retreated to the field and did what she had wanted to do all game long. She picked dandelions, braiding them into chains. In the distance, she could see Emily talking to Ashley. JJ, though, was headed in Garcia's direction.

"God, wasn't that a great game?" she sighed, lying back on the grass.

"Jaje, we _lost_."

"Yeah, but I don't care. It just felt good to hit something, you know?"

Garcia smiled. "I can honestly say I don't...all I felt was the momentum of my swing...and the whoosh of air..." she finished, distracted. She crowned JJ with the flowers and smiled.

"We're gonna be sore tomorrow," JJ said, fingering the floral jewelry. "But it's gonna feel _so_ good..." she sighed lustily.

"_Ladies_, Emily said, approaching them. "How about a drink?"

"We're in," JJ and Garcia answered in tandem.


End file.
